“Karathe’ (Karela/ Bitter Gourd) Dry Masala Curry” … here is a simple dry masala curry that is spicy with a tinge of sweetness … tastes great served as side dish with roti/ paratha/ poori/ dosa etc. … Yummilicious ….
** Karela/ Karathe’/ Bitter Gourd though bitter in taste can be prepared in many varieties with tantalizing tastes that one ends up liking them. I am sure everybody is aware of bitter gourd benefits, so no point in repeating myself often here or one can always google for more information if need be. The only thing I would like to repeat in all my posts is a simple point of not trying to scrape the outer skin of the bitter gourds, by doing so you are actually disposing of medicinal properties of the same.
** Now coming to applying salt, resting, squeezing out later supposedly to remove bitterness of the veggie is a matter of choice. Here too I would like to ask if it is wise to do so?? you are once again throwing out nutrients etc. from it. Just give it a thought today or someday, if it was not supposed to be used/ consumed as it is why would God create nature as it is done so. Why would there be seasonal fruits or veggies, again which human beings have played with and made them available all round the year.
** Everything has a purpose and that is supposed to be the necessity for human body. Though I have no knowledge much of Ayurveda, I do know about taste buds that need to exercise all types of the same, be it sweet, spicy, bitter, astringent, off course all in certain limits. While we enjoy all types of tastes happily, why is it that we detest bitterness? A little bit is necessary to be introduced early in life so that it is not shunned upon, again, you can balance it a little bit while cooking to bring out taste in dishes.
** All said and done, one needs to enjoy all types of seasonal veggies and fruits locally available because nature always gives them to us appropriate to be had during that particular season. Off course it is one’s individual choice, here I have prepared the semi dry curry with inclusion of malvani masala powder along with goda masala powder with desiccated coconut etc. I have added on little bit of tamarind and jaggery to balance the taste and we loved relishing this curry with lauki makkai ki poori.
** Here is my own recipe for “Karathe’ (Karela/ Bitter Gourd) Dry Masala Curry” … my style that can be relished with poori/ roti etc ….
** Ingredients :
Karathe’/ Bitter Gourd/ Karela : 4-5 about 8-10 inches long.
Jaggery/ Gud/ Goda : 30 gms or one large tennis ball size.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta to taste
** For the Masala :
Malvani Masala Powder : 2 tblsp
Goda Masala Powder : 1 tblsp
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder : 1 tblsp
Desiccated Coconut : one cup.
Tamarind/ Chinchama/ Imly : 1 tsp or small marble sized
** For Tempering :
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh ones
Haldi/ Turmeric Powder : a large pinch
** Slice off edge portions of Karela/ Karathe’/ Bitter Gourd. Cut them vertically into two and remove the seeds within. Then slice them horizontally into pieces, not too thick nor too thin, Do not scrape the nodes/ outer skin of bitter gourd as they contain all nutrients. (Check Picture below). Put cut pieces in a colander and rinse under running water, remove and keep it aside for excess water to drain off completely.
** Note : You get both dark green and light green in color bitter gourds/ karathe’, you can use any available of your choice. The light colored one’s are supposed to be less bitter in taste though the nutrients levels are same. For this particular recipe, I have used light colored one’s as was available in market as I prefer them.
** Note : Again, as mentioned in details writing above, you can apply salt to bitter gourd and keep it aside and then wash it again under running water. It is believed it remove some of the bitterness. I never follow this procedure, as I believe God creates everything in this world with some purpose behind it and we should try to have them as much close to as created. However, you can do the same if your wish.
** Put the cut bitter gourds into a thick bottomed vessel along with some water, just enough to cook them only. Bring to a boil on high heat and then lower the heat and cook covered until 70% done. Now add in some salt and jaggery, mix well and cook for another 5 minutes till mixed well and cooked in the same.
** For preparing the masala : Add desiccated coconut in a small pan and roast on medium heat till it changes in color slightly. Now add in the malvani masala powder, goda masala powder, kashmiri chilly powder and further roast all together for another few minutes. Remove and let it cool a little bit before you begin to grind the same.
** Add fried and cooled ingredients into a mixer grinder along with tamarind and grind to a powder without adding water, just coarse ground masala will do, no worries if not ground very fine. Remove and keep this aside ready.
** Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai, when hot add in the mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add in the curry leaves, haldi powder and fry for a second. Add the ground powdered masala and mix well. Now add in the cooked bitter gourd pieces along with the water in it if any and mix well. Check salt, water and add in if necessary only, remember we have added salt before and the curry is semi dry too.
** Mix well and bring to desired thick consistency and then cover on low heat covered for 5- 10 minutes, stirring in often as is necessary to avoid the masala getting burnt. Do not overcook the bitter gourd pieces; they should be just cooked and crunchy enough at the same time. When done remove from fire and keep it aside covered for some time for the curry to settle down, it does thicken up a little bit but tastes great.
** “Karathe’ (Karela/ Bitter Gourd) Dry Masala Curry” is done and ready to be served. In my home we loved relishing it with lauki makkai ki poori another dish I tried out on my own which I will post after this one and I must say it was a wonderful combination. Off course, you can serve it with paratha, roti or dosas too. Again, if you prefer to, you can serve it as a side dish with dalitoy (dal) and rice, sure to taste great.
** Do try this dish out, if you love bitter gourds and enjoy with your family and friends. Children do resist eating bitter dishes initially, but if you make a habit of the same, soon they learn to accept the same and begin to enjoy them in the long run. Also addition of little bit of jaggery does balance the taste well and makes the dish that much more tastier, so it will be taken well by young and old alike, so try it and enjoy.
** Note : In case for some reason you do not want to use or is not available the said malvani masala powders land goda masala powder, you can try adding on any curry masala powder like pav bhaji, chole masala powder, chicken curry masala powder etc. for goda masala you can add garam masala powder. However, I am not sure of the outcome of with it, but sure to taste good too, I assume.
** There are many more “Bitter Gourd/ Karela/ Karathe’” recipes included in the blog to which I am sharing a common link below, you may browse through in leisure and try them out when possible … do give me a feedback if possible ….
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Thanks.